White House Hannukah party- are you invited?

By Caroline Kessler The onset of December must mean only one thing for Jews in the Capitol, at least according to the Washington Post’s article on the annual White House Hanukkah Party. Faulting the recession, the Obama administration announced that the guest list would shrink by about half, to 400 people. This comes as quite the contrast to the Bush administration’s lavish 800-person gatherings, which has caused some Washington Jews to wrinkle their noses and question Obama’s affection for members of the tribe. But the article tried not to harp on what appeared like typical Jewish kvetching. The article notes that while White House Hanukkah parties occurred in previous administrations,  it was W. Bush who made it a go-to social event for politically savvy Washington Jews. It rapidly grew in scope and grandeur throughout the years of...

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